Terrorist Roche released from jail

A convicted terrorist who trained with Al Qaeda has been released from a Perth prison after serving half his sentence for planning to attack the Israeli Embassy in Canberra.

Jack Roche, 53, was jailed for nine years in 2004 for conspiring to blow up the embassy.

Mr Roche was escorted by three prison guards to the main entrance of Perth's maximum security just after 8:00am AWST.

He did not speak to the big media contingent waiting outside the prison and was whisked away in a waiting taxi.

Mr Roche converted to Islam in the early 1990s and was an active member of the Muslim community in Sydney.

He later travelled to Afghanistan, received explosives training with Al Qaeda and met Osama Bin Laden before returning to Australia where he carried out surveillance and planning for an attack on the embassy.

He was one of a number of Muslims whose homes were raided by ASIO in a nationwide security crackdown that followed September 11.

The Western Australian Opposition justice spokesman, Rob Johnson, says it is a bad move for Mr Roche to have been allowed to serve only half his prison sentence.

"I just think it's not reasonable to have someone like this out on the streets so soon after planning to commit such a dreadful crime," he said.

As part of his bail conditions, Mr Roche will have to report to the Western Australian and Federal Police.